Fla. sea turtle to make KC Aquarium new home

Courtesy: Twitter/@SeaLifeKC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Gertrude, a sea turtle from Clearwater, Fla., will make her trek to Kansas City, Mo., Monday as she relocates to her new home.

Gertrude was rescued in Sept. 2011 when her two front flippers were found tangled in fishing line which caused them to fracture. While the rescue center tried to save both flippers, one had to be amputated and the other had to be fused.

The good news: Gertrude is healed, but due to her injuries, she has no “power stroke” to get away from pesky predators in Florida and cannot return to the water.

“We are very excited to bring Gertrude to Kansas City,” said Mendy Rose, Marketing Manager of SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium. “We know the residents of Kansas City will fall in love with Gertrude and make her feel at home as our newest exhibit at SEA LIFE in Crown Center.”

After arriving Monday, Gertrude will be in quarantine for a few days before being released for public viewing.